STEVE Waywell is refusing to get too carried away despite watching his Hyde United side win their sixth game in seven with a 2-1 victory at Stalybridge Celtic on Monday.

INTO ninth spot: Hyde United, with Nathan Wharton at the forefront, earned their sixth win in seven matches with victory over Stalybridge Celtic on Monday which took them above Droylsden in the Nationwide North table.

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STEVE Waywell is refusing to get too carried away despite watching his Hyde United side win their sixth game in seven with a 2-1 victory at Stalybridge Celtic on Monday.

After a difficult start to the season, those three points sent the Tigers into ninth spot in Nationwide North with 30 points - a sea change from the opening few months when Hyde were unable to buy a win.

However, Waywell is banishing all talk of a late play-off push with his sights firmly set on avoiding the drop back into the UniBond League.

He said: "We always seem to have a bad Christmas, but this one has been the exception apart from losing against Stalybridge on Boxing Day.

"I've given the lads a target of 48 points which I think will keep us in the league and which is the main objective. The quicker we get it, I can then give them another target.

"If we're there or thereabouts come March, we will have a go - if not, we've still had a great season and we can prepare for next time."

Having seen such a big turnaround, Waywell bemoaned some of the factors which contributed towards Hyde's poor opening to the campaign.

He said: "At the start of the season, I think there were 10 points we lost through losing or drawing games thanks to late goals.

"I don't think things were going for us at the start - the league surprised us in terms of how big a step up it was which is down to me."

Gerry Harrison (hamstring) is a major doubt for Saturday's trip to Harrogate Town, although Paul Armstrong should be available after suffering the same injury.